Browse knife steels grouped by material category.
M390 is a third-generation powder metallurgy steel made by Böhler-Uddeholm. Exceptional edge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness make it a top choice for premium EDC blades.
Developed by Crucible Industries, S35VN improves on S30V with added niobium for better toughness and machinability while keeping elite edge retention. A favorite of top American knife makers.
Elmax is a high-alloy powder metallurgy stainless steel from Böhler-Uddeholm, known for a superb balance of hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Popular in Spyderco and custom knives.
Maxamet is one of the hardest commercially available knife steels, achieving 68–70 HRC. Developed by Carpenter Technology, it offers unmatched edge retention but sacrifices toughness and corrosion resistance.
CPM S110V is a premium Crucible powder-metallurgy stainless with extremely high vanadium content, delivering best-in-class edge retention and wear resistance at the cost of toughness.
CPM 154 is the powder-metallurgy version of 154CM, offering improved toughness, a finer grain structure, and better overall performance. Widely used by American custom and production makers.
S90V (CPM S90V) is a high-vanadium Crucible PM steel with outstanding edge retention and wear resistance, placing it among the top performers for working knives.
CPM S60V is an earlier-generation Crucible powder-metallurgy steel. It offers good edge retention and corrosion resistance and was popular before S90V and S30V became mainstream.
CPM S30V is one of the most popular premium knife steels in the world. Developed by Crucible Industries with input from custom knifemaker Chris Reeve, it delivers an excellent blend of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
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